AposTherapy

What is AposTherapy?

AposTherapy is a drug-free and non-surgical treatment for knee/hip osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal disorders. The therapy involves an analysis of your walking pattern, and from there you are fitted with a personally calibrated foot-worn device. A fully personalised care programme can improve the way you walk, your ability to move around and reduce pain.

The foot-worn device is worn for a period of time, during your day, which does not interfere in your daily routine. This delivers lasting pain relief, so you can move with confidence.

Benefits to Patients

Improved neuromuscular control

Reduction in pain

Reduction / withdrawal of analgesia over time

Increased range of movement

Increased mobility and enhanced quality of life

Potential to lower BMI and other significant comorbidities which in turn reduce surgical risk and complication rates

Reduce chances for need of surgical intervention over time

Reduce probability for working days absence

The Patient Pathway

If your condition means you are suitable for the therapy, you will have the opportunity to discuss this with a Shared Decision Making specialist from the Circle team. In this discussion, you can decide if the therapy is right for you.

The therapy includes:

An in-depth assessment – a physiotherapist will carry out your in-depth assessment including a computerised walking analysis. This will enable us to identify whether you’ll benefit from the treatment and root cause of your pain. We will then calibrate a unique foot-worn device to your specific needs.

Convenient treatment at home – treatment blends into your daily life and requires walking with the device for about an hour a day. As you undertake your daily routine at home or in the office, your body will adopt the correct movement patterns, relieving stress on the affected joint.

State of the art rehabilitation – every step you take with the device aims to relieve stress and re-train painful joints to work in a better way for lasting pain relief and improved function and quality of life.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the technology behind AposTherapy®?

As part of AposTherapy® you receive a personally adjusted foot-worn biomechanical device featuring patented Pertupods – convex pods located beneath the front foot and heel of the shoe. Your physiotherapist will select and position the most suitable Pertupods to release pressure from your painful joint and introduce muscle re-education.

What do AposTherapy® consultations involve?

You’ll experience the computerised gait analysis lab and complete pain, joint function and quality of life surveys as well as a full physical assessment by the physiotherapist. Based on this assessment you’ll receive your individually adjusted foot-worn biomechanical device. The physiotherapist continually reassesses your progress at follow-up consultations. Here you’ll repeat some of the examinations you did at the initial consultation to an ongoing care plan. Over the initial period of 12 months you will attend 5 follow ups with ongoing review and treatment over the following years as required.

What does computerised walking analysis check?

A computerised gait analysis provides a complete scientific assessment of the way you walk. This enables the personalised therapy to be developed in such a way that it responds to your unique needs, as well as providing a way to monitor your progress.

Does AposTherapy® have any side-effects?

Clinical experience indicates that any side effects are minimal and rare and may manifest in mild fatigue and muscle spasms. In rare cases where they appear they pass as treatment progresses.

Do I have to set time aside for AposTherapy®?

No, AposTherapy® takes place in your own environment and blends into your everyday life, for around an hour a day, making treatment easy to comply with for the best results.

How long before improvement is felt?

Many patients experience some pain relief during their initial consultation. After 3-4 months of AposTherapy®, some patients feel significantly less pain and experience an improvement in function and quality of life, even without wearing the device.

Patients likely to be suitable

Patients with significant pain and reduced function due to knee/hip osteoarthritis

Patients that have tried other conservative treatments but failed to find lasting significant benefits in line with the SRP

Patients interested in an alternative to surgery

Patients who may be unsuitable

Patients that have a high-risk of failing will not be appropriate for the therapy. There are specific screening tools used at both triage and initial assessment to decide whether a patient is suitable or not. The outcome of assessments will be fed back to the GP and MSK triage accordingly.